DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
(b) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in public use or on sale in this country, more than one year prior to the date of application for patent in the United States.
Claim(s) 1-11 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b) as being anticipated by Klein et al. (US 2008/0236648)
Re Claim 1; Klein discloses a photovoltaic energy production system, comprising: a first solar module (404) having a first terminal (+) and a second terminal (-);
a second solar module (401) having a third terminal (421) and a fourth terminal (426);
a first switch (Q2) connected between the second terminal (-) and the third terminal (421) (Fig. 6); and
a second switch (Q1) connected between the first terminal (+) and the third terminal (421), (Fig. 6)
wherein in a first period of a duty cycle, the first switch is turned off to disconnect the second terminal and the third terminal, while the second switch is turned on to connect the first terminal and the third terminal, (Par 0036) and
wherein in a second period of the duty cycle, the first switch is turned on to connect the second terminal and the third terminal, while the second switch is turned off to disconnect the first terminal and the third terminal. (Par 0036)
Re Claim 2; Klein discloses wherein the first solar module includes a plurality of serially connected solar cells. (Fig. 4)
Re Claim 3; Klein discloses wherein the first and the second switch is controlled by a controller (502) based on operating parameters of the first solar module. (Fig. 6, Par 0036)
Re Claim 4; Klein discloses wherein the controller controls the first period and the second period of the duty cycle. (Fig. 6 Par 0036)
Re Claim 5; Klein discloses wherein the controller is coupled to the first terminal for obtaining the operating parameters of the first solar module. (Fig. 6 Par 0036)
Re Claim 6; Klein discloses wherein the controller receives input signals corresponding to operating parameters of the second solar module for controlling the first switch and the second switch. (Par 0023-5)
Re Claim 7; Klein discloses wherein the input signals include duty cycle, phase and synchronization pulse information. (Par 0036)
Re Claim 8; Klein discloses wherein the first terminal is connected to a power bus. (Fig. 4)
Re Claim 9; Klein discloses wherein the controller communicates with a system management unit through the power bus or wirelessly. (Par 0027)
Re Claim 10; Klein discloses wherein the system management unit sends the input signals corresponding to the operating parameters of the second solar module to the controller. (Par 0027)
Re Claim 11; Klein discloses wherein each of the first switch and the second switch is implemented by a transistor. (Fig. 6)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim 12 is rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Klein
Re Claim 12; Klein discloses comprising: a capacitor (C1) connected between the first terminal and the second terminal; and
a diode (D2) connected between the first terminal and the second terminal. (Fig. 6).
Klein does not disclose the diode (D2) connected between the first terminal and the third terminal.
However, coupling the diode (D2) connected between the first terminal and the third terminal would have been obvious in order to prevent a back flow of current back to the PV.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL KESSIE whose telephone number is (571)272-4449. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5pmEst.
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/DANIEL KESSIE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836